Three days til an English Summer!

I keep swinging between excited and stressed out of my mind. On one hand; I've wanted to study literature in the UK for years and can't wait to explore Cambridge, attend my classes and get myself back to the British Museum. On the other hand; what if my essay isn't as good as I wanted it to be? What if the work load is too much? I have my paperwork sorted but what if I run into a problem at UK Customs? My thoughts run in circles. But let's say everything is fine (which it probably will be).

What am I looking forward to the most?

- Attending dinner at St Catherine's college

- Hoping to catch the Olympic Torch Race as it passes through Cambridge

- Accomplishing my mission of locating a University of Cambridge jumper (perfect souvenir)

- The Shakespeare course I'll attend in my first week

- Making new friends

I'm getting excited just writing this! Three days until I fly out of Sydney and I'm checking the online common room pages constantly for new information. I figure the weather will be about the same as it is in Sydney at the moment and definitely warmer than it has been in Canberra lately. I've experienced an English winter, and English summer will no doubt be an interesting experience. As will the entire trip.

Note To Self: Take a lot of photos

Liz

 Ashleigh Elizabeth South is participating in our Cambridge Literature Summer School in the UK. Ashleigh is completing her second year of a Bachelor of Writing at University of Canberra.

The countdown to New Media for Business and Digital Marketing program at MSU!

The past couple of weeks (and even the past months) have flown by. It seems like it was only yesterday that I sat down to apply for the New Media for Business and Digital Marketing course at Michigan State University; more commonly know as MSU.

Whilst it has been quite a while since I began filling our guest room with belongings that I needed to pack (and did not need for the remainder of my time at home!), the flurry of organised chaos that has accompanied the preparation of this trip including visas, US dollars, travel insurance, and much more, has finally begun to make it sink in that I am about to embark on an awesome adventure. I guess the most important and exciting aspect of this adventure though, is that it is not like your typical holiday or backpacking experience We are not just travelling in the US, but actually studying at a university and (hopefully) completely immersing ourselves in the culture that is the typical American college experience.

Personally, I’m incredibly eager to meet all the other participants that will be studying at MSU with me, and also to be able to have the chance to experience this new university culture; which I’m sure will be quite different to the university I currently attend, the University of Canberra. While there is much to look forward to, there will also be challenges for some of us, and for me personally. I think it will be an interesting and new experience to share a dorm, study, and travel with people that I have never met before, and will not be very familiar with.

Putting the challenges aside, I think that this experience will give me (and the other participants) more of an ability to understand the culture of a university and country that differs to what I/we have grown up with. I think this is an especially important asset to achieve in today’s world where globalisation is growing so rapidly and becoming so prevalent in the study of communications.

As the final countdown gets into the single digits of days until we leave, my excitement grows, as I imagine it does for the other participants, and I look forward more and more to meeting everyone involved and getting settled in.

Only 8 days 10 hours 5 minutes and 52 seconds to go!

Natalie x

 Natalie Miller is participating on our New Media for Business and Digital Marketing program at Michigan State University, USA. Natalie is in her second year of a Bachelor of Media and Communications at University of Canberra

The Literary Joys of Cambridge: Interview with Returned Student Zoe Ambrus

 Zoe Ambrus (above) discovering the magic that England has to offer.

Zoe Ambrus had the trip of a lifetime when she went on our Cambridge International Summer School program in July 2011. Zoe's AIM Overseas experience was so life changing that she transferred universities when she got back to Australia as a result! Zoe shares her awesome experience below...
 

Hi Zoe! Could you please introduce yourself? (what degree and where you're studying) 

 Hello! My name is Zoe Ambrus, and I am currently in the third year of my Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne. In July 2011 I travelled to the University of Cambridge and completed Term I of the International Summer School. I also received credit for the Cambridge course at my home institution, which was great!
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Why did you choose this AIM Overseas course?

Because it gave me the opportunity to study Shakespeare at one of the best Universities in the world, and AIM Overseas organised practically everything for me!
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Did you have any fears/concerns before doing the program?

 Yes! Travelling to England last July was only the second time I’d ever travelled overseas and the first time I’d ever been on a plane by myself. But it was all fine. Harriet, Jooliet and Rob all prepared everyone really well and gave us heaps of great advice and travel tips : )
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Tell me about a typical day at Cambridge.

 During the week we would go to our classes and lectures. Because I was a student at the International Summer School, I had to choose 3 classes which I would attend every day (history, literature, science or politics). I chose 2 literature (Shakespeare) classes, and 1 history class. As well as attending these 3 classes daily, we were also required to attend a daily plenary lecture (which was compulsory), and a night lecture (which wasn’t). The university organised several guest speakers to visit us – scientists, historians, literary professors, and even Margaret Thatcher’s political advisor!

After our afternoon classes, we were free to explore the city, go shopping, punting, or catch up on our homework and required reading. After the night lectures the students would take advantage of all the activities organised for us by the program (including folk dances and music performances). Many of my friends went to see Shakespeare plays in their spare time, too. The Cambridge Shakespeare festival is held in the summer in the college gardens. If you like Shakespeare, go and watch one!

On the weekends we didn’t have any classes or lectures, but the university organised outings for us which we could attend if we wanted to. I went on their trip to the Globe Theatre and saw the play ‘Alls Well that Ends Well’, and I went to Stratford-Upon-Avon and saw ‘Macbeth’ performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company (and bought lots of souvenirs!). I also went on a London River cruise. The planned trips were great because they organised the tickets and transport for us, and gave us time to explore the various cities we travelled to. I had fun shopping, visiting St. Pauls Cathedral, the London Eye and Buckingham Palace, and sneaking under the velvet rope barrier and getting a photo with the Madame Tussauds wax model of David Beckham (I got told off but it was totally worth it!). Carpe Diem!

How has this program affected you? (Personally and/or professionally) 
After I completed the course, I felt a real sense of accomplishment and I was very proud of myself! After I came back to Australia, I changed universities and decided to major in English. Also, I went to visit a family friend who I hadn’t seen since a few months before I went to England. She told me that it must have been a while since she’d seen me, because ‘you looked like a child the last time I saw you, and now you look like an adult’. Huh! I am now also motivated and inspired to travel overseas again, and I tell everyone that I went to Cambridge! (The looks on their faces are priceless)  ;)

What was the highlight of the program for you?

I woke up every morning in a seven hundred year old college and could see several other colleges (they looked like castles!) from my bedroom window. My teachers were bestselling authors, the guest speakers were world renowned academics. The apple tree which Isaac Newton sat under when the apple hit him and he discovered gravity was right around the corner, and the pub where Pink Floyd performed for the first time was just down the road. DNA was discovered in another pub (there are lots of pubs). I love Shakespeare, so the excursions to Stratford-Upon-Avon and the Globe Theatre were definitely a highlight! Also, the spectacular architecture was so impressive, as was the quality of the teaching, the Universities reputation, the guest lecturers, the food, the shopping, everything was wonderful!

Because I was part of the International Summer School, I made friends with students studying science, politics and history, as well as literature, and I still keep in contact with many of them.  I made a lot of friends from all over the world who I still keep in contact with. While we were in Cambridge, we went to the cinema to see the new Harry Potter film in 3D, and later in the week we travelled to Oxford and saw where the movies were filmed! Ahhhhhh! Exciting!!

Outside 'Gonville and Caius', the college where Zoe stayed

Do you have any funny travel stories you’d like to share? 
Yes! On one of our excursions a couple of friends and I decided to visit St. Paul's Cathedral because we had a bit of spare time. We were paying the admission when my friend noticed the employee’s name tag. “Jesus”, he read aloud. “Is that your name, Jesus?!” The man nodded. “Well you work in the right place, then!” Later, on our way out, my friend wanted to say goodbye to Jesus, but he wasn’t there. “Excuse me”, he asked the lady who was now at the desk. “Where is Jesus? He was right here!” (remember, we were at ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL). The lady looked at him like he was insane. “Jesus is dead”, she gravely told us. We all started laughing. “But wasn’t he resurrected?”. I think ‘Jesus’ was on his lunch break.

 

Zoe in front of St Paul's Cathedral where she met Jesus!

Do you have any tips for future students thinking about doing this course?  
-BRING AN UMBRELLA. English weather is weird.

-When you get to Cambridge University, for the love of God, DO NOT STAND ON THE GRASS!

-DO NOT BUY A TRAVELSIM, they are a TOTAL waste of money. Texting and calling in England is so cheap, so buy a simcard when you get there. I wish someone had told me this before I left!

-You will appreciate the lessons so much more if you do the required reading.

-Bring some of the local currency with you just in case. There was a time when my EFTPOS card wasn’t working, so it was good that I had some extra money that lasted until I got the problem fixed.

-Also, if you see a cool, expensive souvenir you would like to buy, or a tourist attraction you would like to visit with a high admission price (or whatever) just pay the money! You may never visit that place again. You only live once! :D

A selfy with Big Ben in the background

What would you say to somebody who’s thinking of doing the program? 
The people who run and organise the program really look after you, so don’t worry if it’s the first time out of the country on your own! Everything is very well organised – the classes, the assessments, the accommodation and the outings. If we had an excursion planned and the bus was scheduled to leave early in the morning, our resident tutor even organised a packed breakfast for us! Everyone has such a great time, and I met many students who told me that they came back to do the Cambridge course every year. I’m already planning my next AIM Overseas trip, if they will let me do another one...    : D  (You sure can Zoe! We love seeing returned students doing another program!)

This program runs every year in the July uni holidays. To find out more about this program or to apply, please go to our website: www.aimoverseas.com.au or email us on info@aimoverseas.com.au 
Join us on Facebook for more photos, travel tips and updates: www.facebook.com/aimoverseas

Living the Hong Kong study dream: Returned student Bethany Pritchard talks about her month in Hong Kong

Bethany (pictured on left) with friends at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant a must-see tourist attraction

Bethany  Pritchard is currently in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Commerce and Business degree at the University of Newcastle and participated on our International Trade Finance in Hong Kong Program in July 2011. Not only did Bethany make heaps of new friends and go on some amazing company site visits, she also got an offer for her dream job when she got back because of her participation on this program! Read more about her experience below.

Hi Bethany! What are you studying and at which uni?

   

Hi, my name is Bethany Pritchard and I have recently completed my third year of a combined Bachelor of Commerce and Business degree at The University of Newcastle.

 

   

Why did you choose our International Trade Finance program?

I chose the International Trade and Finance program as it allowed me to pursue an exchange opportunity without delaying my degree or spending a whole semester overseas. I am about to commence my final year of university, so applying for graduate positions is just around the corner! By completing an overseas course, it assists me to stand out from other candidates and the valuable skills I gained appeals to potential employers. 

Did you have any fears/concerns before doing the program? And if so,

were you able to overcome these fears?

Honestly, I had so many fears but of them all, the scariest was the idea of travelling by myself!! Aim Overseas were great in organizing a Facebook page for students to touch base before the program commenced. Coincidently, there were a few students who had planes arriving at Hong Kong airport approximately the same time as me. We were able to arrange a meeting point at Hong Kong airport to organize a taxi to our hotel. From that point on, I felt comfortable in Hong Kong and always had lots great people around me. 

Bethany and friends lapping up the warm beach weather

How has this program impacted you (personally and/or professionally)?

As employers view undertaking education overseas favourably, it has impacted me professionally by increasing the range of my skills and making me more desirable to employ. I recently applied for a vacation position at a top firm in Sydney and during the interview I was able to apply my Hong Kong experiences to the interview questions. As a result, I received an offer for my dream job!!!

I undertook the course with no previous knowledge of the other participants and no experience travelling in another country by myself. During the course, I formed new relationships and found my way around another country. As a result, I now have increased self-confidence and independence.

Do you have some tips for someone who’s going on this course? (e.g. study tips, travel advice, tips about the best bars to go to, places to avoid and what to pack)

Here are a few quick tips for future participants;

1)    Pack hardly anything and shop over there!! Hong Kong is famous for its shopping reputation and trust me, it definitely lives up to its reputation. There is an endless supply of markets and shopping centres so it is essential you have enough room in your suitcase to bring it all home.

2)    Make the most of your time!! You’ve spent a lot of money to travel overseas so it’s a good idea to organize extra trips on the weekend. A weekend in Macau is a great idea.

3)     Make sure your phone is unlocked before you leave!! It is essential for you to buy a travel sim so you can stay in touch with other students and to organize activities. However, a travel sim can only work if your phone is unlocked!!

Tell me about a typical day at Hong Kong PolyU

A typical day starts with a massive buffet breakfast at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis and then it’s straight off to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for a 9:30am lecture. The lectures approximately go for three hours and are based on topics relating to the financial world from an East Asian perspective. The lecturers speak fluent English, are very willing to help and are experts in their field.  Even though the lecture goes for three hours the time flies.

After the lecture, there is a short lunch break, normally spent as a group in a food court close by. My favourite part of the day was the afternoon company visits to places such as the HK stock exchange, Bloomberg, HK Monetary authority, Invest HK and Austrade just to name a few. 

the happy AIM Overseas participants for the International Trade Finance program in 2011

Once the afternoon company visits were completed we were free to do whatever we desired. It was always spent with other students having dinner, drinks and the occasionally karaoke session.

What was the highlight of the program for you?

   

I enjoyed every moment of the three week trip but a particular highlight was our weekend in Macau. During this weekend we tried our hand at some of the biggest casinos and successfully completed the highest commercial bungee jump. 

 What would you say to somebody who’s thinking of doing the program?

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St Augustine

So my advice is to just go for it!! 

The International Trade Finance program runs every year in the July uni holidays. To find out more about this program or to apply, please go to our website: www.aimoverseas.com.au or email us on info@aimoverseas.com.au
 

Business in the USA: Interview with returned student Vickey Chen

Vicky Chen (pictured above, left) is currently completing her second year of a Bachelor of Commerce/Law at the University of New South Wales. In January this year Vicky travelled to America and participated on our Business in the USA program. Vicky tells us about her experience below.

*Why did you choose this AIM Overseas course?

At nineteen years of age and as a university student there were two things I wanted to do: study abroad and go to the United States. Therefore when this opportunity to study, liaise with prominent American businesses AND experience American culture during our Summer holiday arose, I had to sign up.

One of the most appealing features of the program is the opportunity to have a wide range of invaluable experiences in a very short period of time. America has always been one of the leading global economies and to be able to be taught by some of the leading minds in the industry was an opportunity not to be missed. Also this was a chance to get a taste of the different teaching styles before I dived headfirst into a half-year exchange program beginning Semester 2 this year. I was definitely attracted to the program by the prospects of watching college basketball, an NBA game and ice hockey. These events make up the stereotypical American life and I think I speak for most people when I say I wanted a legitimate excuse to scream “Defence, Defence!” at the top of my lungs. Moreover I could not pass up the opportunity to speak with managers and CEOs of major American businesses because it is a great way to build an offshore business network.

*Tell me about a typical day at Charlotte.

8:15AM pickups! One of the first things you learn is that AIM Overseas’ programs are not meant to be a stroll in the park. The price of being able to jump around from place to place is a decent sleep in, so every morning most people will be half awake on their way to the stop of the day. This may be a morning class or an executive dialogue with a business manager. The hotel we stayed at was nice enough to provide a complementary breakfast reception every morning, and this gave us the opportunity to eat bagels to our hearts content and play around with the DYI waffle machine.

The Crew

In one day, you will be at approximately three different places: the university campus for class, a new business Uptown and a cultural event such as college basketball at night. In between travels you can expect to be spending very little money on a lot of food. Imagine paying $8.30 for an all you can eat lunch buffet! On the rare occasion that you have some time at the hotel, it is always nice to hang out with other people from the program. This includes hanging out in each other’s room and playing indoor volley ball across the beds.

There is a lot you can entertain yourself with outside of the program schedule including catching a fifteen-minute taxi ride Uptown to experience the Charlotte nightlife. This includes going to different clubs, restaurants and bars. One great thing about the program is that the program assistants are UNCC students so it is not at all unusual for them to take you to less known places (for example a 24 hour patisserie and hookah bar) where you will have a blast. 

Enjoying traditional Southern Cuisine at Merts Café

*What was the highlight of the program for you?

The sporting cultural activities: college basketball, NBA and ice hockey were definitely the standout events. The setting is almost exactly like that in the movies with cheerleaders, team mascots and the notorious kiss cam! Having the opportunity to attend these games meant we were able experience first hand the hype and competitive atmosphere. This may sound a bit sadistic, but it was also very entertaining watching ice hockey players collide every two seconds! One other thing you cannot look past is the mechanical bull. Everyone jumps on feeling like they are the kings and queens of the world; however when the bull rears its back end it is almost impossible not to laugh and the riders’ expense.

The Kiss Cam

*Do you have any funny travel stories you’d like to share?

1.     It would most definitely be unAustralian to not have any Vegemite on Australia Day. Therefore on the day of Australia day in the United States, one of the program participants coated his teeth and lips with vegemite. If you do this, do not forget to brush your teeth straight afterwards!

2.     Two other program assistants and myself had the benefit of riding with the most amazing cab driver. Not only did he surf millions of satellite radio stations to find one of our liking, he also played the music louder so we could have a mini party before reaching the hotel. We tipped him generously that night!

*Do you have some tips for someone who's going on this course? (study advice? Tips about the best bars to go to? Places to avoid? What to pack? etc.)

1.     If you are going to a country with a time difference of eight or more hours, I would highly recommend that you arrive at the destination no less than one day before the program commences. This will ensure you have enough time to recover from the jetlag and that you can stay awake during the first couple of days. You do not want to fall asleep in front of your new professors in your first class.

2.     If you are going to America or any other country where you expect to do a lot of shopping, pack VERY lightly! The shoes and clothes you buy abroad are only cheap if you do not have to add the extra shipping costs of airmailing your excess baggage back to Australia.

3.     Vegemite is the cure for homesickness. Bring a tube and buy cheese from the local supermarket to get that pure Australian experience.

4.     The US is very strict about imposing the drinking age limitation (its 21 years in the US, not 18). Therefore if you are not 21 by the time the program commences, research local “college bars”. These are bars that allow under 21s to enter provided they are not to permitted to consume alcohol. Also keep in mind some places such as bowling alleys and cinemas will not allow you to enter after certain time if you are under 21.

5.     Go to Yoforia! This is a frozen yoghurt franchise that starts a party in your mouth each time you make a visit to the store. 

Yum! Mozzarella and more mozzarella

*How has this program impacted you (personally and/or professionally)?

Participating in the “Doing Business in the US” program has personally prepared me for my half year exchange come July 2012 to the University of Connecticut. Initially I was home sick due to being exposed to a new environment and culture. However after forming new relationships and gaining a very basic understanding of the environment, I was able to enjoy my time with equally clueless Australians!

Happy Australia Day!

The program has boosted my level of confidence for when liaising with prominent businessmen. I feel that I understand what business employees and business Masters professors.

Professionally I have a much deeper understanding of the interviewing process which is important when trying to find a graduate position or at least a job in your area of study.  I learnt greater business negotiation skills and now I am warier of the way our global business operates and of the United States prospective position in the economy. I hope to implement some of the recommendations such as building a master career file.

*What would you say to somebody who’s thinking of doing the program?

First of all, do it. An opportunity that combines so many different experiences is difficult to find. It should not matter whether the course will count as credit towards your degree or not. AIM Overseas programs provide opportunities beyond normal regular exchange arrangement; for example paid for and pre-organised sports!